Uxbridge part of new Greenbelt Route for cyclists

New trail spans more than 420 kilometres from Northumberland to Niagara

UZ_greenbeltbikeroute

Kaitlin Abeele / Metroland

Uxbridge -- Durham Cycle Club members Kathy Newbigging and John Morrow went for a 60-kilometre ride around Uxbridge in preparation for a bike race this weekend. Their route included parts of the proposed Greenbelt Bike Route, which will extend into Uxbridge. The Greenbelt Route will be 460 kilometres of cycling routes starting in the Niagara Falls area through to Northumberland. July 16, 2014

UXBRIDGE -- An on-road bike trail dubbed the Greenbelt Route, spanning seven regions and more than 20 municipalities, will include Uxbridge.

Representatives from the two organizations behind the establishment of the route, The Greenbelt Foundation and the Waterfront Regeneration Fund, came to Uxbridge to detail their plans for Uxbridge’s inclusion in the 462-kilometre route, which will span from Northumberland County, through Durham Region and the rest of the Greater Toronto Area and west into the Niagara region.

The Greenbelt Route will provide direct connections to multiple waterfront routes leading to Lake Ontario, including the Waterfront Trail via Duffin’s Creek in Pickering.

The establishment of the route is more than halfway through the planning stage, with the groups involved now looking for the approval of municipalities for road use and signage ahead of a scheduled opening in the fall of 2015.

“Building this partnership is really necessary to make this a long-term success,” said Marlaine Koehler, executive director of the Waterfront Regeneration Trust. “It will keep promoting trails and development over the years.”

The current draft of the route, which was designed through consultations with the Region of Durham and the Township of Uxbridge, will bring riders in via the Uxbridge-Pickering town line through to Concession 6 at the entrance to Glen Major Forest. The route goes north along Concession 6 to Wagg Road and east to Concession 7 before going north again until Concession 7 meets Brookdale Road. After weaving through that subdivision, cyclists can cross Lakeridge Road and follow Medd Road to Marsh Hill Road and down to the Scugog Fourth Line. Two options from there eventually lead riders down to Myrtle Road, which will take them back into south Durham Region.

While the route makes good use of some of the less populated local roads -- and keeps away from the truck routes -- Uxbridge councillors Pat Molloy and Jacob Mantle raised concerns that cyclists aren’t being guided into downtown Uxbridge, and thus local businesses won’t be able to capitalize on an increase in cycle tourism.

Brookdale Road, the last point before the route leads out of Uxbridge, is two kilometres south of downtown.

“To me, that’s the thing that concerns me,” Coun. Molloy said.

Shelley Petrie of The Greenbelt Foundation says riders will have a map showing points of interest and if proper signage is erected in the area of Brookdale Road, promoting some of the downtown features, riders can take a detour into town to check things out.

“This route is attracting the cycle tourists and the recreation cyclists,” she said, adding cycle tourism has increased substantially in Ontario over the past few years. “These are cyclists that want to come and explore, not just cycle from end to end as fast as they can.

“It’s about recreation and it’s about tourism and seeing what we have in small towns like Uxbridge,” Ms. Petrie added, noting Ontario cycle tourism increased 18 per cent from 2009 to 2010 and another 25 per cent since then.

An additional concern brought up was use of Brookdale Road, which is already a busy, popular spot for cyclists, walkers, joggers, and other recreational users along with local residents.

“I would raise a flag there because we have a lot of things already going on on that road,” said Coun. Mantle. “When do we get to a point where there are too many people using the road?”

Council voted in support of including Uxbridge in the Greenbelt Route. The 2015 launch of the route will coincide with the 10th anniversary of Ontario’s Greenbelt, which has been focused on protecting greenspace and agriculture.